> Conway's Game of Life
>
> For this assignment your are to write a program, that plays Conway's
> game of Life. See the Wikipedia definition, if you have never played
> the game: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway's_Game_of_Life.
>
> Here is how our implementation will work:
(1) The program will ask the
> user to enter a filename from the console. (Just like the last
> assignment).
>
>(2) The initial configuration will be read in from a
> file, which will be a 12 by 30 two-dimensional array of characters.
> The game board will be surrounded by all O's.
>
>(3) The game will beplayed on 10 by 28 two-dimensional array. (Can you guess why?). A
> period ('.') will represent a dead cell and an 'X' will represent a
> live cell.
>
> You will be severely penalized if your program does not have at least
> three functions.
>
>
>
> View solution (interface must match)
> Blockquote

This is what I've done sofar:
I've asked the user to input the file to open (ie life01.txt)
The file is opened in a 12by30 2D array and then moved to another 2d array.

Here is what I really need help on: I need help with the last part (#3). I really don't understand what to do. All I know is the rest of the code needs to look like this when its finish:http://pastebin.com/94Q5aCiY and that it needs to follow the rules.
I think it may need if statements?

I would change the MakeArray() function to populate the board as 10 x 28 not a 12 x 30. In the sample output link you gave the 'O' are not on the boarder of the board. I would also rename the name[][] array to board, it just makes more sense when reading the code.

Make a function that given a position, it determines what its new value should be base on the rules of the game. Call it getNextState() .

Test some of the simple input configurations.

Test the boundaries of both row and column.

After you think that is working, do more error checking.

Remove the globals.

I tried to not make too many changes to your code, so take a look. I don't know if you are to print before or after the first iteration, so be aware that you might have to change were the prints are happening.

//Game of Life
//Dylan Metz
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <fstream>
#include <cstring>
using namespace std;
//function(s)
void GetFile(); //Get filename
bool MakeArray(); //Make 2d array
char ChgArray(); //change the array
char GameBoard(); //Game Board
//Global Variables
const int ROW1 =12;
const int COL1 =30;
const int BOARD_ROWS(10);
const int BOARD_COLS(28);
ifstream myfile;
string filename;
char live = 'X';
char dead = '.';
// From what the output is supposed to
// look like the 'O' are not there so
// the row should be 10 and the columns
// should be 28
char board [BOARD_ROWS][BOARD_COLS];
//end of Global variables
int main()
{
int q; //stops terminal window from quitting
//call functions
GetFile();
if ( MakeArray() ) {
// I put this loop in because the output link you gave
// had a print of 10 boards
for ( int i(0); i <10; i++)
ChgArray();
}
else {
cout << "Error parsing input file" << endl;
}
//Stop Program from quitting
cin >> q;
return 0;
}
//Other Functions
void GetFile()
{
cout<<"Enter the filename: \n";
cin>>filename;
return;
}
bool MakeArray()
{
bool ret(false);
char val;
int totCnt(BOARD_ROWS*BOARD_COLS);
myfile.open (filename.c_str());
if ( myfile ) {
for (int r=0; r<ROW1; r++)
{
for (int c=0; c<COL1; c++)
{
myfile>>val;
if ( val == dead || val == live ) {
board[r-1][c-1] = val;
totCnt--;
}
}
}
if ( !totCnt ) {
ret = true;
}
myfile.close();
}
return ret;
}
char getNextState(char b[BOARD_ROWS][BOARD_COLS], int r, int c)
{
char ret;
// In this function you want to count the number of 'X' around
// the point b[r][c] to see if it will live or die
// Code the rules:
// 1. Any live cell with fewer than two live neighbours dies, as if caused by under-population.
// 2. Any live cell with two or three live neighbours lives on to the next generation.
// 3. Any live cell with more than three live neighbours dies, as if by overcrowding.
// 4. Any dead cell with exactly three live neighbours becomes a live cell, as if by reproduction.
// The thing that get tricky is the boundaries, i.e. when the row is 0 or 9 and column is 0 or 27.
// Start with the easy one in the middle and then start to test the boundaries.
// The return will be 'X' or '.'
return ret;
}
char ChgArray()
{
char boardTmp[BOARD_ROWS][BOARD_COLS];
for (int r=0; r<BOARD_ROWS; r++)
{
for (int c=0; c<BOARD_COLS; c++)
{
// Compute what the new value should be and save it
boardTmp[r][c] = getNextState(board,r,c);
// -----> Not having all of the input files to test
// with I don't know if you are to print
// before the first iteration or after!
cout << boardTmp[r][c];
}
cout<<endl;
}
// Save off the new board value
memcpy(board,boardTmp,sizeof(board));
cout << endl;
}